CB: Red State Review

CB: Like its main character, Red State is both flawed and intensely watchable. Much has been made about Kevin Smith's change in genre for this film, but in Michael Parks’ Abin Cooper, he finds the ultimate blowhard; like Randal Graves and Brodie Bruce before him, the preacher speaks with a fiery and confident determination, using volume and tone of voice to pave over gaps in logic. His bigotry and real power may set him apart from Smith’s normal hapless cocksuckers, but he’s still just as well-written and mesmerizing. And despite all its problems, Red State is captivating and wonderful, a hybrid of well-spun bullshit and down home creepiness.